Scents
by AmIDelis
Summary: He'd smelled of all things pleasant to her, all the time.


**Well, my first Bleach fic. Gotta say I'm quite fond of this ship. I intend for this to be a one-shot, but maybe will change…Not sure, since I have many other fics in the work and I also wanna try my hand at other Bleach ships…**

**For now, enjoy**

**Bleach © Tite Kubo**

It was this habit he had, whenever he started playing his guitar, that he felt the need of chewing gum while passing his fingers over the instrument. Later on, whenever he'd ate, went out with her or the others, or simply just went to bed (with Kon that would turn from a basic task into a challenge), he'd smell of strawberries. It was a pleasant smell overall, even if she remembered her first experience with strawberries wasn't quite impressive.

They had gone, by Orihime's plea (she had been there at first, and she wanted to experience it a second time with her friends), to a newly opened restaurant near the school. Though the setting was comfortable and the place itself was pleasant in the eye and wide enough without turning into a palace, the menu did not offer anything of extraordinaire. The same things as any other restaurant, though Rukia herself appreciated the fried rice. She seemed like a little girl, getting so excited over a simple tray, yet it was endearing. Tatsu and Orihime took her glee for a pro towards the restaurant, while Uryu and Chad just kept on with their own food, as if it was any other restaurant in the world. Ichigo found himself smiling a lot at the petite girl's hunger, and her vivacious way in which she ate. Apparently Orihime just got a competitor today…

Then came dessert. Now here was the interesting part of the restaurant; they varied from typical homeland cuisine to exotic foreign plates.

-Milkshakes…I think I've never tried one of those.- Rukia reflected while reading the menu. Ichigo could imagine why, and it was not because of the dessert itself. Milkshakes have always been around where he lived.

-You would like them. They mix milk with ice and fruits…-Uryu began, but Orihime interrupted him…Which he didn't seem to care much:

-Yes, it's like ice cream, but you can drink it! You'll love it, Rukia, try it.-

The girl nodded at her friends' enthusiasm, and said:

-Hmm…Maybe I'll take strawberry.- Curious, she never ate much strawberries on her own, what made her choose that flavor over orange or vanilla or chocolate? For trying at a risk, another dare for the day?

She stared at Ichigo, and caught the boy's smirk. Something that was occurring more and more as time passed by and things changed. She rather liked it…Sure, she missed the frowning Ichigo from time to time, but he was never gone completely.

-Maybe I'll leave you and the milkshake alone when it comes.- The boy rolled her eyes at her while shaking his head, the others immersed in laughter. There he was, old Ichigo; Rukia knew how to get him back.

Well, it was tasty, she had to admit. A little too much sweet for her own, but yes, she could see the similarity with an ice cream. Soon she was playing over with the straw, obviously enjoying it (the straw. She was still undecided on on the shake). Once finished, her eyes widened:

-This was...strange…Maybe a little too sugary.- Orihime clasped her hands with her friend:

-Aw, really? And here I'd hope you'd like it.- Rukia gave an apologizing smile at that:

-Maybe the flavor wasn't for me.-

For the rest of the food they spend it calm, as delicious as it was, with no surprises.

As each friend departed, Ichigo and Rukia went towards his house. She was still living with him, after all…Which wasn't as strange as one would imagine at first. The two stood side by side, one arm over the other's shoulders (well, Ichigo's of course. Rukia is far too short for that). The boy smirked at her:

-So, you did not care much for the shake, huh? Strange, you're usually fond of sweets.-

-I am, but that doesn't mean I have a taste for everything. I mean, don't go by stereotypes.-

_Don't go by stereotypes…Even then it was dumb, it's even worse now.- _She always liked to remember that date…Well, she liked calling it a "date", even though it wasn't one as typically expected. A date of two in a relationship, and as it happened, they weren't in a relationship in that time…yet. A lot had happened between that date and this day, she confirmed. She sat back in the bed next to his sleeping body, faintly whispering something in his sleep. Smiling, Rukia passed some fingers over his hair, bright orange against the black of night. They had been swallowed by the pleasure of each other's company, as she had licked his manhood, arousing him, and he had fondled her breasts, as softly as one would touch a babe. Rukia thought a few months ago of herself, that if somebody came and told her she would share her bed with the same reckless boy she had saved from her Hollow by giving him her powers, the girl could have turned the person to dust. From quarrels to sharing all their intimacy, and not only by the bedding: him and her could speak to each other about their angers and worries, about quarrels and victories, and mourning, and sometimes they felt they could only speak to each other about it.

_Orihime called it love. She is right on all accounts…I have been with others before, and loved them, but Ichigo has been different. He has somehow adjusted into my life, as if he had always belonged in it. And so do I with his own life…Which sounds odd now that I'm saying…Almost like marriage. _She thought furthermore of Hisana and Byakuya, and left it at that. Too many painful and distant memories would return to her by recalling her sister and brother, as it has been many times before.

Now, there was only her and him, the faint smell of strawberries upon his hair, among the smell of his seed and sweat and sex and blood. All of them a pleasant smell to her; reminding her of warm, of safety, of familiarity.

There, naked, next to him, caressing his legs, she smiled to herself, happy at what was happening.

This night she was wondering over the park next to his house (well, it's her as well). The night was chilly and dark, the small stars sparkling every few seconds, as if teasing the seers of vanishing from the sky, but they could never do that. It wasn't in their will, for all Rukia knew. Frankly she could care less at the moment about the stars; it was the earth that called her, not the sky.

She found him at the bench with the scaled paint; bits and pieces of it could tear off any moment anyone sat or passed by; the seat was in need of a new paint. He sensed her, as he only closed his eyes as she comfy sat in the bench. He was chewing gum again, that sound already well known for her. She passed his arm around her, snuggling her in like a blanket. They stood for a while like this, not saying a word to each other, preferring the calmness of silence, both of them quietly watched over by the stars. She felt slowly drifting into sleep, time and time again, but she didn't mind. She quite liked it here, the two of them sitting silently under the night sky. She would smell him, him and his unwashed hair, strawberry scented gum, the grass on the park, the wind whistling and messing her hair, black strands landing over her hair.

She pushed the strands behind her hair as she stared back at him, his eyes following her own.

-Feeling a little chilly?- he asked, though he seemed amused at being turned into Rukia's personal blanket.

-And you don't?- the girl replied. Hmm, yes, smelling it right, his breath was of strawberries. The breath from that mouth that had said a thousand dumb words in all the time she had known him…

-No, the night is too calm for one to get chilled off.

-Maybe so, strawberry.- She smirked and huddled even closer to him, at which they kissed and their tongues danced together. She would smell of strawberry in the morning, and she would love that. Every scent and taste that he had given her, she had loved and welcomed it.

The sun would rise soon. They imagined they would still have a few hours left to enjoy the night together.


End file.
